Every Friday, we will publish Denver Post writer Kathleen St. John’s top recommendations for family fun. This week, her picks include:

Saturday-Sunday. It’s an apple extravaganza at Lakewood’s 34th annual Cider Days celebration. One of fall’s favorite fruits, the apple can be found in all its forms at the festival. Apple cider, of course, is the main attraction — bring your own apples and borrow a press to make fresh cider. (Apples will be available for sale, too.) There’s a bushel of other activities as well: live entertainment, hayrides, a petting zoo, historic demonstrations and more. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Lakewood’s Heritage Center, 801 S. Yarrow St.; 303-987-7850 Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for kids ages 3 to 12.

Saturday. Take a spooky trip through Central City’s darkest corners at the Central City Creepy Crawl. Led by members of the Gilpin Historical Society, the lantern-lit tours poke around the spookiest places in the 150-year-old mountain town. It’s up to you, though, to decide whether the ghosts are real. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for a little exertion: The tour is at least an hour long, and involves stairs, hills and plenty of walking. Tours leave from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 24. Meet at the corner of Lawrence and Main streets, in front of the Century Casino. Reserve spots on the tours at centralcityparkway.com or call 303-345-6315. Admission is free.

Saturday-Sunday. Explore the artistic process and discover new local artists at Boulder’s Open Studios program. For two weekends, arts lovers young and old are welcomed into studios around town to see how and why artists do what they do. Pick up the (optional) guidebook for $12 — they’re available at many Boulder-area locations, including Whole Foods Markets and Barnes and Noble — and map out a tour. Once on the road, the galleries are clearly marked with a bright yellow sign. Step right in and chat up the artists, and maybe even snag a piece to take home. For a sneak preview of each artist’s work, check out the exhibit at the Boulder Public Library (1001 Arapahoe Ave.). Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and Oct. 10-11. Various locations around Boulder. Admission is free. Learn more at openstudios.org.

Saturday-Sunday. Seek out the perfect pumpkin at Four Mile Historic Park’s Pumpkin Harvest Festival. A future jack-o-lantern awaits, along with music, carriage rides, snacks and more. Explore the park’s grounds, too — it’s 12 acres of country in the middle of the city. The park’s Four Mile House was once an inn and stage stop, then became a thriving farm operation. There are still animals at the park to visit, and exhibits teach guests about the park’s pioneer days. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St.; 720-865-0800. Admission is free. Visit fourmilepark.org for more information.

Monday-Thursday. Put down the PSP and use your brain: That’s the message of “Aesop-a-Rebop,” Town Hall Arts Center’s children’s production. Using Aesop’s fables — and a little audience participation, too — the play’s characters go on an adventure that doesn’t involve a TV or video game system. Instead, it’s reading and imagination that offer the most fun. 10 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays through Oct. 15, with additional performances at 10 a.m. and noon on Oct. 17. Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., Littleton; 303-794-2787. Tickets are $7.50 for adults and $6.50 for children. Call to order advance tickets.